The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

This Medicine is of great use, for such as are in pain, and want their due Rest, removing the one, and procuring the other: And no Body can be ignorant, how necessary Sleep and Abstinence are, to preserve Health, as well as to remove Diseases.

According to this way, we may extract the Virtues of all vegetable Subjects, and greatly exalt, as well as correct them, where need is.

N. B. Henbane and Tobacco, this way prepared, afford Narcoticks not inferior to Opium. Aloes, Myrrh, and Saffron handled in this manner, make an Elixir Proprietatis, ten times better than that described by Paracelsus, or Helmont: For our Alcohol Vini brings over only their purest Essence, which is afterwards yet further exalted through the Flames of the Spirit of Wine. According to this method, a Man may prepare from Vegetables excellent Cordials, Cephalicks, strengtheners of the Stomach, Nephriticks &c. which in their effects will far exceed the Common. Only we are to observe; that when we have a mind to prepare an universal Medicine, we need not to meddle with Vegetables or Animals, which are Grandfather Demogorgons green Cloak, forasmuch as a little piece of his Heart, is far more valuable than his whole Cloak; wherefore he that would prepare an universal Medicine, of greater Virtues than all Vegetables and Animals contain, let him take to Task a part of this Demogorgons Heart. Concerning which, if the Reader desire further to be satisfied, let him peruse a Treatise of the incomparable Philosopher Joannes Bracescus, of the Tree of Life; where he may be informed, who this Demogorgon is, what his clothes, and what the inmost Blood of his Heart are.

Now by the way, to speak a little of this Demogorgon, we are to understand, that the Ancients always described their universal Work, not plainly so, as to be apprehended by every one, but wrapt up in Riddles and Allegories; all of them pointing to this Demogorgon, who has his Seat in the Center of the Earth, having a rusty Colour’d, and green Cloak cast about him; which in plain terms, is nothing else but the Central Fire, which God, when he created the World, placed there as an everlasting vivifying Fire; by means of which quickening Fire, not only Metals and Minerals are produced, but also all Herbs, Plants and Trees: Upon which Account, the ancient Philosophers have described this Demogorgon, to be the Grandfather of all the Heathen Gods, that is Metallick Subjects, and an Upholder of, and Provider for all things that are within, as well as without the Earth; for all things proceed from one Original, viz., this Demogorgon. Concerning which, See the Twelfth Treatise of Sendivogius.

Metals and Minerals, are as it were the Shirt, or inmost covering of Demogorgon, whereas Vegetables and Animals, are but his Cloak, or upper Garment. The Ancients have writ much concerning this Demogorgon, attributing to him, not only the Generation and growth of Stones and Metals, but declaring him to be the Father of those living Spirits, which are often found in the Mountains, where Mines are, especially of ☉ or ☽, about which, if the Reader desire to be further satisfied, let him read George Agricola his Treatise concerning Subterraneous living Creatures.

To return then to our Demogorgon, I say, there are found some contemptible Minerals, in which all the Virtues of Vegetables and Animals lye concentred, which Minerals take their Original from the purest Heart-blood of Demogorgon: Such Minerals as these we are to take in hand, if we would prepare an universal Medicine against all Diseases, as well as a Tincture, to meliorate all white Metals with great Gain and Profit. We are also to observe, that such an universal Medicine, may easily, with little Charges, and in few days, be prepared: For the Minerals themselves cost little or nothing, the Dissolvent is very cheap, and the burning Spirit is not Chargeable, so that an Universal Medicine, to meliorate Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, may be made with the Charge of an Angel, which, certainly, is a strange and wonderful Compendium. All this may be done with the help of our Spirit of Wine Alcolisatus, without which, the Essence of these Minerals cannot be brought over, nor be made perfectly sweet and fine, without enduring the Purgatory of its refining Flames: Wherefore, also our Elias Artista, or Salt of Art, wherewith we acuate our burning Spirit, and make such a wonderful Menstruum of it, may well be called the Monarch of Salts. And to demonstrate, that such a Medicine prepared of Metals or Animals, with the help of our Salt of Art joyned with Spirit of Wine, is not only able to cure all the Diseases of Men and Metals, but also of Vegetables, appears first from hence, that an universal Medicine can scarcely, or at all be prepared without the Concurrence of Vegetables and Animals: For which reason the Philosophers say, that their Stone is Vegetable, Animal and Mineral; if then the universal Medicine be made up of these three, we must conclude also, that it is Master and Commander over them. The use of this Medicine in the several three Kingdoms, is as follows. When by means of our Tartarized Spirit of Wine, thou hast brought over the pure Essence of a Metal or Mineral, and separated the Spirit of Wine from the Metallick Essence, by burning it away, then the said Essence stays behind in the Cup or Dish, wherein the Spirit of Wine was burnt away, and may without any other Preparation be made use of, for the Cure of all curable Diseases. But when we have a mind to make use of this Essence, for the meliorating of Metals, we must first ferment it with common ☉ or ☽, for without this, the Soul or Quintessence of Metals can have no ingress into Metals, so as to unite with them in a Fire of Fusion. We are also to note, that when this Metallick Essence is fermented with Sol, it becomes a Solar Tincture, but when with ☽, it only affords a white Tincture. It is also to be observed, that when we take two parts of ☉, and one of ☽ for our ferment, we shall have a Red Tincture, and so on the contrary, if we make use of two or three parts of ☽, to one of ☉, it will only be a white Tincture, because the predominant Metal determines the Tincture. But he who hath once obtained a well prepared Quintessence of Metals, will easily know the ferment and way of applying it, for a due application is of great moment in this matter. I have known some, who had extracted good Tinctures from ♂ and ♁, but understood not the way of fermenting them, that is of joyning their ferment without their Tinctures; neither did they understand the Inceration, that is, the way to give to your Tinctures easie Fluxibility and Ingress, so could not arrive at their desired End. Were the World worthy of it, I could set down an easie, cheap and short way, to extract much ☉ out of ♀, by which means every one that is somewhat skilled in Distilling, Melting and Cupelling, might have a Rich and inexhausted Mine in his own House, but it is much better to be silent, than to strengthen Men in their Pride and wickedness.

But to return to the Medicinal use of our Tinctures, we are to take Notice, that the Red Oyl, which remains after the burning away of the Spirit of Wine in the Cup, is fittest to make a Metallick Tincture of: But the ☿ or Celestial Vitriol, which mounts with the Flame of the Spirit of Wine, is the most proper Medicine for human Bodies: For this pure Mercurial ⛛ is the true and best ⛛ of Life, wherewith, not alone Men, but also other Animals, yea and Vegetables too, may be cured of all Diseases, and Evils incident to them. And forasmuch, as the highest Medicine of Vegetables is the Nourishment they draw from the Earth, the warmth of the Sun, and fruitful Rain, and that on the contrary a dry and barren Soil, and want of the cherishing heat of the Sun and Rain, are the Death of all Vegetables, it is apparent that there can be no better Remedy to keep off the Death of Vegetables, than this our sweet cherishing, and vivifying ⛛ of Life, or Celestial Salt: For when any Seeds of Vegetables are steeped therein, and set only in Sand, they immediately shoot up and grow: And having this effect upon Vegetables, we have the less reason to doubt of its cherishing, and vivifying Virtue on human Bodies, as indeed there cannot be a better Medicine to rid the Body of Man, of all manner of Diseases than this Universal Blessed ⛛ of Life, or heavenly Rain ⛛. When we attentively consider Nature, we find, that the Life and growth of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, is Originally from the Air, or an Airy volatile Spirit. Thus we can make all hard Stones and Metals grow as it were in a moment, by means of such a volatile Spirit, concerning which, I have spoken in the Second Part of my Furnaces.

This sudden growth of Stones and Metals, I have many years since shewed to some of my Friends, who greatly admired the same, but could not comprehend that reason thereof. Now therefore, to satisfie the Searchers after truth, I declare, that all growth, whether in the Microcosme, or Macrocosme proceeds from a Spirit, or Volatile Salt, arising from two contraries, viz. an Acid and an Alkali; for when an Alkali, and an Acid Spirit meet, they cause an Effervescence, during which, there proceeds from them both a very subtil Spirit, which has the Nature and Property to make all things grow. If a Man takes this Spirit inwardly; it procures and preserves health; if it be joyn’d to an Herb, it makes it to grow and shoot up suddenly. With this Spirit we can make an Herb grow from its Seed in the midst of Winter, (but it must be in a warm Room,) so as it may be seen to grow; which my self have performed more than once. And to make it appear, that this swift growth only proceeds from a volatile Spirit, produc’d by the strife of two contraries, I’le give this instance; pour one Pound of Oyl of Vitriol, upon one or two Pound of calcined Tartar, not at once, but by degrees, and at several times, and it will cause a great strife and Effervescence, cover the Cucurbit with its Head, and give Fire in a Sand Furnace, by which means a very subtil volatile Spirit comes into the Receiver. If before this Work be undertaken, a Stone hath been dissolved by the calcined Tartar, and a Metal in the Oyl of Vitriol, then the Spirit, which proceeds from them, will be much more powerful; because the Virtue both of the Stone and Metal comes over with the Spirit. In this manner may a volatile Spirit be had from all Acids and Alkalis.

To demonstrate this further, that the growth of all things proceeds from the strife of two contraries, take this instance: Dissolve some Iron or Copper in Spirit of Salt, or Oyl of Vitriol, draw off the Flegm, in which Distillation none of the Acid Spirit will come over; because it is joyn’d and concentred with the Metal, animating and disposing it to shoot up and to grow swiftly, so as the eye may perceive it grow, like a Tree with a Body, Boughs, Branches, and Twigs. Take this Spirit of Salt or Vitriol, concentred by the ♂, as soon as you have taken it out of the Furnace, whilst it is yet warm, and break it into little Bitts, about the bigness of large Pease (if you should suffer it to grow cold, it would by attracting the Air, suddenly run into an Oyl per deliquium.) These pieces of animated ♂ must be joyned with its contrary, for which you can choose nothing better than a Liquor of Flints prepared in the same manner, which I have taught in the second part of my Furnaces. The Glass, wherein you put this Liquor of Flints, must be of the same wideness at the top, as at the bottom, and about an handbreadth high, and fill’d with the said Alkalious Liquor, to which, put your Acid concentred by the ♂, laying the pieces orderly a thumbs breadth from one another, and place the Glass, where it may not be shaken or jogg’d. As soon as these contraries are thus joyned, they begin to act upon one another; but forasmuch, as the one of these contraries is concentred by the ♂, and become hard, it cannot mingle it self with its adversary, or destroy it, so they only vex and anguish one another, in doing which, a warmth ariseth between them, and the one contrary pusheth the other to shoot and grow; the hard and dry part, viz. the animated ♂ drawing so much moisture from its contrary, the Liquor of Flints, as makes it heave and begin to grow in form of a Plant, with Root, Stock, Branches, and Twigs, very pleasant to behold, the growth being very swift, so as within an hour and an half, or two hours at the most, the whole Glass is fill’d with little iron Trees, which grow harder and harder, and when they are hard enough, (which will be in the space of twenty four hours) then the Liquor of Flints must be let out from it through a hole, left on purpose in the bottom of the Glass, and the Plant, or little Tree, remains. If we desire to make a more pleasant sight of it, we may take several Metals, and make them grow up like a Tree; ♂ affords a dark brown, Venus a green, ♄ ♃ and ☿ a White and Grey, ☽ a Blew, and ☉ a Yellow Colour. Minerals also give different Colours from Metals; Lapis Calaminaris grows not into Trees, but into the resemblance of Mountains and Rocks of a White and Greyish Colour.

If we have a mind to make Stones to grow, we proceed thus, first we melt the Stone, whether White or Coloured, into a transparent Glass, and pour it forth into a Copper Bason, where it will flow broad and thin, and will be the fitter to be broke into as small pieces as we desire. Which peices we place as before in a flat bottom’d Glass before described, which must be full of an Acid Spirit mixed with water, so as it may neither be too sharp, nor too weak; for if it be weakned with too much water, it will not retain strength enough to make it grow; and if the Acid be too sharp, it will dissolve the Alkalized Stone, wherefore great care must be taken, as to this particular.